Chelsea Bossert/Daily Mining Gazette Outside the City Centre in Houghton, bus routes remained open and on-schedule during Monday’s winter weather warning.  

HOUGHTON — Despite a projected winter storm warning and turbulent wind conditions it was business as usual last weekend for most businesses and essential services in Houghton and Hancock as many businesses and services remained open despite forecasts that caused the closure of area schools and Michigan Technological University.

Most establishments such as bars, restaurants, venues and activities like the Copper Country Old-Timer’s Hockey Tournament went on as scheduled. Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce Manager, Katie Schlief, said she was grateful the people of Houghton and Hancock supported local businesses and activities despite the prediction of an “historic” blizzard.

“We had a big weekend this weekend,” Schliedf said. “There was a lot of support and a lot of people out in the downtown.”

Schlief said she wasn’t contacted by any particular business about closing suddenly this past weekend or losing any major business due to the prospect of a weather emergency. Houghton’s public transit system remained open for normal operating hours Friday and Monday, bussing residents to and from popular stops and essential services.

“Here at the City of Houghton we never cancel ahead of time,” Houghton City Clerk, Amy Zawada, said. “We always make it a game day decision.”

The snow broke for most of Saturday and parts of Sunday, which meant people could travel safely. Zawada spoke about how school closings were a part of the plan and a normal occurrence due to a lot of school bus routes stretching out to county roads — which would have been impacted by high winds on Monday.

“If it is really bad outside, we do tend to try to limit bus routes and maybe close early,” she said. “We just don’t want people out if they don’t need to be.”

On the other side of the canal, Hancock’s buses traveling to essential services such as doctor’s visits, were closed on Monday. Garbage removal was also postponed Monday and moved to Tuesday.

“There’s a couple things that came into play [this weekend],” Hancock City Manager, Mary Babcock, said. “Our garbage … we specifically schedule it so we can move it to Tuesday if there’s something going on.”

If there was heavy snowfall, Hancock’s plan was to use garbage trucks to help move the accumulation. “It makes a huge difference when the courthouse closes, Tech closes, doctor’s offices close…” she said. “Most of our driver’s live out quite a ways from our city garage… I didn’t want them taking that chance because they come in so early in the morning.”

The weekend saw less tourism and lodging due to the winter water warning, according to Visit Keweenaw Executive Director Brad Barnett. He is looking forward to the prospect of the late-winter weather drawing more tourists in because of the fresh powder on trails and ski hills.

“The Keweenaw’s late-winter season is always impacted by snowfall conditions,” he said. “Our numbers show that lodging was a bit down last week compared to the prior year, but fresh snow and the blizzard news coverage will bring in additional travelers.”